


Dynamite

by 185cmbaekhyun



Series: X-EXO AU [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Archery, Clone Wars, Clones, Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:07:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24848767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/185cmbaekhyun/pseuds/185cmbaekhyun
Summary: He hasn’t seen Jongin in almost a year now, yet each time he hears his name, his heart clenches and then swells sickeningly in his chest.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Series: X-EXO AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797598
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59





	Dynamite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sehunagenda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sehunagenda/gifts).



> I'm into sequels lately simply because I can't seem to come up with anything good anymore. Anyway, this might be confusing to read. I used Jongin's name for a change, since I thought there were too many Kāis in it. 
> 
> Also, it is mentioned Sehun pretends to consent to sex for the sake of his mission, but I’m not sure if there’s a tag for that. If there is, let me know.

The laboratory is quiet and cold as a morgue. In its dim lights, nothing but machines meet Sehun’s gaze. They show the activity of the hardware - plasma screens of gigantic proportion with codes that are too complex to make sense of. 

Among many unusual symbols, Sehun spots the names Chanyeøl and Chën right at the bottom of the screen, a red dot blinking incessantly next to their names and the report  _ ‘Location: Earth’  _ indicating their current whereabouts. Sehun sweeps his eyes over the large screen once more and also spots the names D.Ø and Xiūmin followed by the message  _ ‘Unable to contact. Connection out of reach.’ _

Cracking the codes wouldn’t be much of a hassle. Sehun’s been studying them for months now, some of them have been engraved in his brain just waiting for the right opportunity to hack into their system; Sehun takes a careful scan around the large room, over the black metallic roof above him, and the black metallic floor below him.

Silently, he pushes a chair and takes a seat in front of the monitor, his every footfall echoes around, not loudly, but enough to give him away. After making sure he’s isolated from  _ them _ , Sehun considers skirting his fingertips around the edges of the high tech dashboard displayed in front of him, but time is significant here, every second that passes becoming a waste. 

He furrows in concentration, and gets down to work with a deep intake of air to his lungs to ready himself. The technology upon him is so advanced that it feels like a distant dream to his people, but Sehun gets the hang of it in no time. On the floating, translucent screen that comes to life right in front of his eyes, Sehun types one name.

_ Kim Jongin. _

Several files pop up on the screen, most of them encrypted, and Sehun stills - stops breathing, while his heart speeds up to an insane rate. He hasn’t seen Jongin in almost a year now, yet each time he hears his name, his heart clenches and then swells sickeningly in his chest. He swallows his sorrow as he stares at the holographic picture flicking in front of him.

_ Character unable to be tracked. _

_ Status: alive _

"Found you," Comes Kāi’s voice from deep within the walls. Sehun quickly swipes the holograms to the side and shuts down the panel, sitting back on the chair. Was he caught? Is Kāi mad? He stares at the man, but doesn’t let any emotion show in his gaze as Kāi saunters up to him with that wicked smirk of his. He's always there, he's everywhere. 

"You really like playing hide and seek with me, don't you?" He curls a hand under Sehun’s cheeks, his sharp nails grazing his skin teasingly. There’s always a certain timbre to his voice that Sehun hasn’t quite learned how to perceive. Sometimes he’s gentle, other times he’s demanding. Right now, in that suspended moment, every second drawing out to infinity, Sehun lets his eyes slip shut to avoid the overwhelming feelings the other man always seems to impose on him. 

"I was just-- hmm. I was just having a look around." Sehun gives a strained smile, knowing that it’s one of Kāi’s weaknesses. Kāi hums in sheer delight, tilting Sehun head up and demanding him to look at him. 

"Why? Are you looking for something?"

Panic is starting to crawl up Sehun’s insides. Kāi’s searching for something in his eyes, studying Sehun every reaction. When Sehun doesn’t provide an answer, Kāi arches an eyebrow, and glances sideways towards the screens. The room is growing colder and quieter by the second, so is Sehun’s heartbeat. 

"Actually, I just wanted you to come find me." He lies through a weak attempt at a smile. Kāi grins, and his suspicion seems to disperse. He kisses Sehun then. Always so demanding and hard, his tongue pushing inside Sehun’s mouth as though he’s hungry for him, as though he can never get enough of him. Sehun swallows the nausea and goes pliant into Kāi’s arms, letting him touch and grab and pull him against his body. 

  
  


Sehun pretends he's touching Jongin instead. It's easy too. Every time Kāi touches him, -- kisses him, fucks him-- Sehun holds on to every memory he has of Jongin, every moment spent with him, to all the declarations of love they shared before, to the taste of Jongin that will linger in Sehun’s mouth no matter how much Kāi tries to wash away. His heart still belongs and will belong to Jongin only, for as long as he lives and even beyond that. 

When Kāi pulls away, his eyes drape over Sehun possessively, and he licks his lips appreciatively. Sehun is forced to open his eyes too, for the sake of his acting, and for a moment, he’s caught between his fantasies and reality. Kāi is clad in casual clothes today, an oversized sweater and loose jeans, no leather, no exposure of skin. It almost feels like looking at Jongin albeit the coldness of his body. However, looking at his glowing greenish eyes still leaves Sehun doleful and scared. 

"When will you take me there?" He blurts out, just to distract himself from the inconsistency of his memories and thoughts. He doesn’t want to admit to himself that he might be starting to let go of him, little by little. 

"To my spaceship?" Kāi guesses. "Why are you so interested in it?" Once again, he seems to be suspicious, but it goes away as soon as Sehun envelopes his arms around his shoulders. 

"I've never seen one before. And I was kinda hoping you could even take me to your planet with you, so it can be just the two of us." The provocation seems to sway the alien. Sometimes it is way too easy to deceive him, all Sehun has to do is to look at him inoffensively through his lashes and reserve a tender tone of his voice to him. It never fails. 

"That sounds like a great idea. But we wouldn't be completely alone. Some of us are still there."

Sehun pouts and casts his eyes down in the most innocent way he can muster. This is just another act, and hopefully it will work this time too. 

"You're really adorable, did you know that?" Kāi’s hands slide down to grip Sehun's side, and he tries to catch Sehun’s gaze. "So much better."

Needless to say, the comparison with his other self is often made. How Sehun is better, prettier, smarter. He’d take them gladly if only he didn’t know they came with a bitter reasoning. Kāi still has feelings for Sehůn, while Sehun has been just a trophy that Kāi enjoys showing off as he pretends to himself he’s gotten over his ex lover. Sad to be said, that's the only reason Sehun's still alive, because he's a reminder, a replacement. 

And maybe, just maybe, being with Kāi is what keeps him holding on to Jongin too. 

"Do you like me better?"

"I do, of course. You're soft, and obedient." Kāi mutters, cupping a hand around Sehuns's jaw, he tips Sehun's head up a little too forcefully. "Ambitious too, unlike him." 

Their lips meet again, and unlike many other times, the kiss is tender and slow, though still deep and intimate. 

"Don't you miss him?" Sehun asks once they break apart. His lips are tingling, not just from kissing. 

Kāi looks at him and seems to swallow something bitter. "Not at all. Not when I have you." His tone is unkind, angry. It doesn't mask his grudges. 

"What if he comes back? What if he tries to hurt me."

"He wouldn't dare. Sehůn is weak. He's fallen for the falsehood of this world, when he had so much more, everything." Kāi sounds heartbroken, and for a second Sehun almost pities him. "You came to me at the right time, Sehun. And I'm going to protect you."

Sehun hugs him, allowing himself to believe Kāi even if just vaguely. If Sehůn ever happens to return, Sehun doubts Kāi will choose him. It's not like Sehun really needs protecting. What he needs is to keep his cover unknown, and Sehůn being out of the equation works perfectly for him. 

Just a little longer, he thinks, a little longer of this make-believe and then he can go back home. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Kāi’s hands are around him, his mouth is on his neck. Filthy promises for the night are whispered into Sehun’s ears. The shiver that shoots down Sehun’s spine is not a pleased one, but he hopes he can delude Kāi into falling for that one too. The risk of being caught in his lies is always there, always threatening him. However, luck seems to stand on his side, and in every smile and every touch, he still manages to deceive the demon.

In the living room, an unannounced visitor awaits them. Suhø is lounging on the couch, absentmindedly fumbling with the tips of his red horns, legs sprawled lazily around the pillows. Somehow, the opulent room of the well-off residence seems like it was built just for him.

Sehun’s met him a couple of times before, and none of those encounters were any pleasant, to say the least. Looking at the man makes something churn inside Sehun’s stomach. Although he carries the same appearance as his leader, he’s the personification of pure evil, he exudes danger, unlike the man Sehun admires the most, the one who raised Sehun to be the man he’s today despite all the hardships they faced together. Suho taught Sehun to always choose kindness, but the mere sight of Suhø just makes him want to break that one rule and for once, wreck violence. He doesn’t, and he won’t. He knows that’s exactly what Suhø wants him to do, it’s what he’s been pushing Sehun to do, and he’s not about to please the demon. 

"Suhø?" Kāi frowns, stopping his tracks. His hands remain possessively around Sehun’s middle. 

"Sorry for interrupting. I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Right now?" Irritation is thick in Kāi’s voice. Unfazed, Suhø sends him a petulant glare. 

"I haven't seen you in weeks, I'm sure you can let go of your boy toy for a while."

Kāi grunts in annoyance, and eventually lets go of Sehun. "What is it?" He flops down beside his leader, while Sehun heaves a sigh he didn’t know he was holding. Kāi’s presence is suffocating. 

"We need privacy." Suhø huffs, glancing at Sehun with dismay. 

"No, we don't. Whatever you have to tell me, Sehun can be part of it."

"As you wish," Suhø’s lips curl downwards in distaste. Sehun casts his eyes down and shuffles to a corner where he left his arrows disarranged. He pretends focusing on rearranging them into a quiver. A few seconds of silence pass, and then Suhø grunts quietly and starts. 

"We've located Sehůn. He's not far."

With his back turned to them, Sehun’s brow creases. He’s once again holding his breath, as though the sound of his own breathing could disrupt his hearing. He cannot let a word from that conversation pass unheard as it is extremely crucial to his mission. It takes Kāi a few long seconds to respond, and when he does it, Sehun wishes he could see the hurtful expression on his face. 

"I don't know if you have noticed, but I don't really need him anymore. I don't care where he is."

"Apparently, he's been meeting up with Jongin."

That spikes Sehun's attention. He freezes. Jongin’s with him, he’s with someone else now. His vision goes blurry around the edges and he doesn’t know if it’s for anger or guilt. Can he even be entitled to anger that Jongin’s moved on from him, after so long, when he’s been laying on a different bed and allowing a different person to use his body every night? Should he feel guilty for any of that when he was the one who left? What kind of sentiment should be applied in this situation when their affairs are with replicas of themselves? It's unreasonable and unfair -- it’s a mess-- but Sehun can't seem to put those feelings aside. 

In the midst of his dilemma, Kāi chuckles dryly. 

"Would you look at that? The tables have turned entirely. I'm not at all surprised he went running to that fucker the first chance he got. That's what he wanted ever since we got here."

_ He could have killed me, Sehun. But he didn’t. _

Sehun recalls Jongin telling him after their very first battle with the clones. Sehůn had Jongin enclosed and defenseless, he had the aim at the ready, but instead, he let Jongin escape. Sehun knew right then, that his clone didn't duplicate only his appearance and abilities. Part of him cared about Jongin too. 

"We can track him down. We can find them. All of them. We can finally kill them."

Sehun clenches his shaking fists. He's running out of time. What he thought was close to an end seems now closer to failure. 

"Sure. I've been bored out of my mind anyway." Kāi says, swiping a hand through his hair. Unconvinced, Suhø pushes himself to his feet and points a warning finger at Kāi. 

"But you do know I won't let you lay a finger on our Sehůn. He might not be with us anymore, but he's still one of us." 

Kāi can only scoff at that. "You're hilarious. Playing favorites this far on the road. You really think Sehun won't try and beat your fat ass to protect that one."

Suhø can't argue with that, though it seems that he really cares about Sehůn. Sehun wonders if, as clones, they also follow the same narratives as theirs. If so, then Suhø and Sehůn must share some kind of bond too. 

"I'd very much rather if you got rid of that one. He doesn't belong here." Suhø huffs spitefully, without sparing Sehun a glance. "It's never too late, Kāi."

"It is to me. He's mine now."

"Keeping him only means you still love Sehůn. You two are connected for life, you seem to forget that."

Something hardens in Kāi's expression. He flexes his jaw angrily. "He forgot it first."

Suhø sighs, and heads towards the door, seemingly fed up with the situation. "Anyway, this isn't my problem anymore. I'll let you know when we'll be ready to attack."

"How long?" Kāi questions. Suhø stops by the door, but doesn't look back. "How long have they been seeing each other?"

"I'm not sure. A couple of months, maybe even longer."

Suhø answers before stepping out the door, without saying goodbye. Then it's just Kāi and Sehun in the room again. Everything remains still as Kāi stares at the wall, emotionless. Sehun doesn't dare call him, or even move. At that moment, Kāi could be able of anything, stuck in the spell of his own rage, perhaps even murdering him out of spite. Eventually, Kāi turns on his heels and bores his eyes into Sehun's from across the room. A small smile appears on his features, and he almost seems unaffected. Though it is still there, the pain and the longing, reflecting in his eyes. 

"Pack your things. We're visiting the ship."

  
  
  
  
  
  


The spaceship doesn’t feel like any sort of future top-notch tech, it feels more like the back of a huge truck. There are no windows. Only--one, two--five seats; four lined up on the long side of the rectangular prism and one sitting opposite. There’s dust on every surface. Neon lights flicker through the large, glass panels towering over them. The quietness inside of it only deemed it dead, dysfunctional. Stupefied, Sehun spins on his heels to take in the entirety of the metal shuttle. Sehun has no memories from when he first landed on Earth as he was just an infant, but in the depth of his mind he can recall the vast darkness of space, and the hum of machinery like a soft whisper in the background.

Undoubtedly, the intergalactic cruiser holds more secrets about its past passengers. 

"I don't really know how to pilot this thing. That's more of Chën's expertise." Kāi mumbles, breaking the silence of the pod. He’s got his hands shoved into the pockets of his skinny jeans, and a black hoodie over his head. For the first time he doesn’t look scary, he just looks downright miserable. 

"Is it still functional?" Sehun peers down at the multiple features on the dashboard. The steering wheels, the windscreens, gauges and dials here and there. It looks far from easy to operate, but not impossible to do so. 

"Absolutely." Kāi responds, inching closer. "Do you like it?"

"It's really amazing." Sehun feels when Kāi’s arms slowly wrap around him from behind, and he tenses up. If Kāi notices it, he doesn't acknowledge it. Maybe he ignores it most of the time, seeing as he’s selfishly using Sehun, to heal his own wounds. Kāi nuzzles into Sehun’s nape, sticks out his tongue to lick at it, and he moans in Sehun’s ear.

"Do you want me to bend you over and fuck you hard now?"

Sehun can hear Kāi’s smirk against the shell of his ear, and he’s lucky Kāi can’t see his face right now, because he can’t fight the grimace that forms in his features. Kāi always fucks hard like there’s no tomorrow for them, and maybe there really isn’t one. Not once has Sehun refused Kāi’s initiation at sex, simply because he’s terrified of his reaction. 

"Are you really going to kill him?" He finds himself asking instead, one of his getaways to steer clear from Kāi’s sexual advances is mentioning the other one. What follows is never pleasant, either way. Taken aback, Kāi pulls back slightly. For a moment there’s no words spoken between them, but Sehun can still feel Kāi’s eyes stabbing him from behind. 

"Do you think about him when you touch me?"

"Are you questioning me?" Kāi’s hands on Sehun’s hips grip a little harder, following the slight raise of his voice. Sehun swallows deeply, and braves a look over his shoulder. 

"I'm just trying to make sure. I want to know if Suhø was right. If you're only keeping me to get at him, the other me."

One of Kāi’s hands slides up Sehun’s spine, curls around his jaw and takes his neck, threateningly. "When I see him again I'm going to make sure you watch as I break his neck. Then you'll know it's only you for me."

Sehun can’t help but keen and sink the demon’s chest. "Then prove it." Part of him really wants to see the other dying a torturous death, now more than ever, for touching Jongin. It’s an irrational thought, and it makes him scared of himself.  His brain offers an explanation and yet rejects it simultaneously. He doesn’t want to figure this out now, he just wants to feel it. Anger, jealousy, misery. 

Kāi turns him around gently, and Sehun is met with his grin, proud and triumphant. 

"I will. And then I'll bring Jongin to you so you can kill him yourself. I want to watch that too. Will you do that for me, Sehun?" Kāi asks, as if testing him, challenging him. His knuckles tangle into Sehun’s hair and yanks it, staring deep into Sehun’s eyes. He wants an answer, but beyond that, he wants honesty. 

"I will. I'll kill him. You kill Sehun, I'll kill Jongin." 

Kāi claims his lips, knocking the air out of Sehun’s lungs. He lets a surprised gasp into the kiss, but responds with the same intensity, even if Kāi usually prefers when he submits, letting Kāi take full control of him. This time, he allows Sehun to lead the kiss, curl his tongue around Kāi’s and coax his mouth open. When the kiss breaks, they’re both breathless and flushed, a trail of saliva connecting their lips. 

"Don't forget, honey. You belong to me." Kāi says, wiping his chin with the back of his hand and a satisfied look in his eyes. He teleports abruptly, leaving only a trace of fog swirling around Sehun. Once alone, a single tear runs down Sehun’s cheek. He wonders how much longer he has left until he lets himself succumb completely to the demon. 

He’s starting to lose himself. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The mansion is supposed to give him the impression of freedom and safety, but Sehun knows that’s only a disguise to hide the truth. He’s a hostage. Beyond the thick, tall walls shielding the house, there is not a world where Sehun is allowed in. He guesses he shouldn’t complain and play the victim, when he invited himself in willingly, and never once tried to break free. Kāi provides him food, jewelry, expensive clothes, and good sex.

In a sense, Sehun has everything, most that any can afford. He just has to snap his fingers, and Kāi will have it ready for him. Anything he demands, even though that’s just an illusion. The only thing missing from Sehun’s life, however, is freedom. 

Alone in his room, Sehun massages his throbbing temples as he glances at another note, another scribbled riddle from the notes strewn over the desk. He spends most of his days locked up in the room, studying, analyzing, and collecting information, while he ignores the fact that the real owner of this room is buried in the yard. Kāi chose the residence to take over as it was wealthy and distant from civilization, so he broke in and, with his bare hands, murdered the old man who lived the remaining of his lonesome life spending away his assets. Sehun watched everything. Sometimes, he can still hear the man begging for his life. 

Deeply engrossed in his inscriptions, he barely notices the intruder perched on the window. Quietly, the man stares at Sehun for long minutes until he senses his unwelcome, forbidden presence. His devilish vibrancy slowly floods the room, until it becomes too stifled to go unnoticed. Sehuns' eyes lift to the looming figure, and it's like looking in the mirror, reflecting a dark version of himself that at this point, isn't too different from Sehun's current self. Not after all the mistakes he's done, all the people he's failed. 

"What are you doing here?" He doesn't move from the chair, nor does he attempt to surrender either. 

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

Sehun tries reaching for his bow, eyes never once tearing off from the other. 

“I wouldn’t do that.” Sehůn warns quietly. Sehun pauses, waiting for the next move. Nothing comes for a long stretch of time. Sehůn only stares with his glowing, demonic blue eyes. 

“What do you want? Did you come here to kill me?”

“I said I’m not going to hurt you, Sehun. I mean it.” Sehůn hops off the windowsill and lands soundlessly on the carpeted floor. There's something about him that isn't quite like him anymore, as though something has been altered in him, which grants him Sehun's acquiescence.

“Kāi isn’t here,” Sehun tells the other, who's pacing around the room. 

“I know. I didn’t come for him.” Sehůn says, with vigilant eyes. “He’s in danger. Jongin is in danger.”

Sehun grows still. Not only for concern, but also for the fact that Sehůn addressed Jongin by his real name. “Where’s he?”

“He’s hiding. All of them. But they don’t have much time.” 

Sehun scoffs, but swallows the accusations he has against the other. The only reason they're hanging by a thread, it's because of Sehůn and his little rendezvous with Jongin. Honestly, he wouldn't have expected Jongin to make such a rookie mistake. 

“How’s he now? Jongin, is he--”

“I’m taking care of him.”

The statement doesn't leave Sehun any less worried, or jealous, as a matter of fact. Taking care can mean a lot of things, but Sehun isn't really sure if he wants to figure out the real meaning behind that. Sehůn's unspoken words should be better left unrevealed. 

“Am I supposed to trust you?”

“Yeah. You’d be dead by now if I wanted to. But that’s not what I want. Not anymore.” He states simply, and the confidence in it has Sehun rolling his eyes. It’s not something Sehun can argue though. He guesses there’s no better option than accepting the opportunity given.

“Tell me, what should I do?”

“He wants to see you.”

Sehun averts his eyes. “It’s too dangerous. I can’t.”

Although he's been dying to see Jongin again, even if for one last time, he would never put his life at risk. The memories he's built and kept of Jongin will remain with him and bloom inside him even in the afterlife. Of that much, Sehun's sure. Besides, if he happens to meet Jongin now, all the walls he's built and the resistance he's worked for will crumble down. 

“He needs to see you. He’s been miserable. He deserves to know the truth.” Sehůn insists, with a vehement lilt to his voice that can only mean the clone's capability for sentiment is real. There was a time Sehun thought he was made to be emotionless. 

“He’s with you now,” He counters. There was a reason why he never told Jongin. He thought it would be painless, but it only turned out to be as painful. Perhaps even more than that. Sehůn lowers his head in his weird inhuman movements, but even then Sehun can read his sorrow. He doesn't feel sorry for the other man, but maybe he should feel thankful, for he's been there to catch Jongin, when Sehun wasn't. 

“He doesn’t love me. He never will.” Mutters Sehůn, miserably. And with that, he heads towards the exit. Before he can leap through the window, against his better judgment, Sehun asks. 

“How can I find him?”

Sehůn pauses, and a hint of contentment seems to bathe his features, ever so briefly. 

“I’ll tell him to come to you.”

Sehun wishes for Jongin to come, but part of him wishes he wouldn't either. Both will have awful consequences, and Sehun is not ready for either of them. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


He lets the wind guide him this time rather than his instincts. His knuckles tighten around the bow, and he exhales a concentrated breath as he pulls the string and his finger hoovers over the shaft of the arrow. He closes his eyes and focuses on the vague meander of the wind that tingles his skin. Out here, is the farthest he can wander, deep into the courtyard that stretches as wide as the entirety of a land. The vastness of nature helps him settle his nerves, each inhale of clean air, the feeling of soft grass under the sole of his feet and the gentleness of the trees anchor him.

Among the rustling from the bushes, Sehun hears it. It comes all of a sudden, though it doesn’t approach him. It just stands there, unmoving, just staring. Despite the newcomer presence not bringing any threats, Sehun twirls around with his aim leveled, doesn’t falter nor give in, even when he comes across honey brown eyes staring intensely at him.

  
  


It takes Sehun a few seconds until realization finally dawns on him. Jongin hasn’t changed one bit from the stunning man he is, perhaps there’s been a slight change in the glint of his eyes, it’s a little lifeless, hopeless even. Sehun lets all his guards down, and lowers the weapon, bewildered.

  
  


“You came.”

Jongin remains quiescent, then he shows a small smile, a hollow one. “So you’ve been here, with him.” As if the world just knew, the next wave of wind that blows comes cold, too cold. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t tell you. It’d blow my plan. I knew he would fall for it, and I couldn’t let you get in the way. I knew you would never agree to it.” He finds himself struggling to find justifications, but the more he hears it, the more of a fool he feels. 

Back then, it seemed like the right thing to do. Now, Sehun begs to differ. if he could rewind time, he wouldn’t have left Jongin’s side even if it cost his life. 

“I wouldn’t, Sehun. This is a suicide mission.” Jongin grits out with a crack to his voice. Crestfallen, Sehun averts his eyes. 

“I’m close to finding the answers. I just need more time.”

“This isn’t enough. I can’t do this anymore.” Jongin is closer now, and as much as Sehun wants to put a distance between them - because they need it - he stands rooted in place, just yearning to feel Jongin closer, to feel him, even if he can’t touch him.

“There’s a ship. Their spaceship. I’ve been there.” He mutters, chancing a glance at Jongin. 

“And what about it? Do you plan to pilot them back to their planet and that’s it?” Jongin shakes his head, unconvinced. He blinks at Sehun, with only a few inches of distance between them now. He can see the unhealthy deepness around Jongin’s eyes, the tiredness in them. And Sehun is the only one to blame for that. 

“I-- I don’t know yet. I’ll figure something out.”

“You’ve been with him. All this time. He told me, you know.” Jongin says then, as if he’s not believing a word Sehun’s uttering, and it shouldn’t hurt this much that Jongin doesn’t trust him enough anymore. 

“I have to. It’s the only way.”

Another step narrows their distance even more, and now their breaths are mingling. Jongin’s scent is still the same, it’s still him, and somehow it never left Sehun’s mind. It still makes him all the more strung out for the other. Slowly, Jongin brings a hand to Sehun’s chest, resting it over his chest, where his heart pounds. 

“Do you like it? Being with him? Is it better than being with me?”

“No,” Sehun shakes his head, his eyes slipping shut so he won’t see it. “Jongin, you have no idea how much I miss you. Every time he touches me, I miss you more.” He feels Jongin’s hand cup his face, thumb rubbing softly over his jaw, making Sehun’s heart swell. Never before, he felt this vulnerable, this raw. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s Jongin, and he’ll always see the best in Sehun. “But I guess I shouldn’t. You’re with someone new now.”

Jongin keeps mum. His hand drops from Sehun’s face, and with them, all of Sehun’s hope seems to fade. 

“Don’t you ever think I wouldn’t crawl back to you as soon as I get the chance." Jongin murmurs. That little decoration is all it takes for Sehun to wrap an arm around him and pull Jongin against him, right where he belongs. With him. 

"Soon, Jongin. Just give me a little longer. I need more time."

"We might not have that. Time." Jongin clasps a hand around Sehun’s neck, demanding. "Do you love him, Sehun? Tell me." He asks, eye to eye with Sehun, as if he depends on hearing it, as if he needs reassurance. Sehun deems him worthy of one, and he won’t hesitate to give it to him. 

"What the fuck is this?" Kāi snarls from above a tree. "You must have a death wish." He shoots them a deadly glare and his figure dematerializes suddenly into thin air. When he assembles, his hands surge up swinging towards Jongin, but Sehun is quick enough to whirl himself around and put himself in between them, shieldening Jongin. 

"Don't hurt him!"

Kāi actually stills, steering clear from hitting Sehun. He hazards a furious breath through his nostrils. "Why, Sehun? Are you protecting him?" He tilts his head, skeptically. "Do you still love him?"

Everything stands still. Kāi’s appearance was unexpected, almost as if he was led there. Linking the dots, he places his bets on Sehůn, this was probably his ploy from the start. Whether he meant to get them killed and side with Kāi or set them up for something else will remain unknown. He shouldn’t have trusted Sehůn to begin with. 

"Were you lying to me all this time?" Kāi urges him. "About not knowing their location? Is that why you've kept so quiet about them?"

"I said I'd do it. I'll kill him." Sehun blurts out, clueless of what to do next, of how to get them away from Kāi’s wrath. If it means they’ll die, then they’ll die together. 

Sehun hears Jongin gasp behind him, but none of them dare move. Until Kāi gets enough of it, of the stillness, of the uncertainty, and teleports once again. It all happens too fast, and Jongin’s scream follows. Sehun turns on his heels, only to find Kāi restraining Jongin in a powerful headlock. 

"Show me," Kāi demands, there’s a wicked grin on his lips now. “Kill him now.”

He sees Jongin glitching in front of him, writhing painfully, as though he’s trying to teleport himself free. Kāi seems to be blocking his attempts, however. He’s tremendously stronger, and Sehun sees no better option than aiming his arrow at Jongin.

Kāi grins smugly, his thick biceps squeezing Jongin impossibly tighter, depriving him of air.

Sehun shoots.

If there’s one thing Sehun’s never doubted is his archery skills, and his precise aim. There was no room for hesitation, he knew he’d hit the target. The arrow crosses the air swiftly and pierces Kāi’s left eye. He screams agonizingly due both shock and pain as his head is flipped back and he collapses to the ground, crutching helplessly at his face. The arrow did scratch Jongin’s temple on its destination to its main target, but it works in the end, and Jongin manages to break free. 

Immediately, he reaches for Sehun’s hand. He’s yelling, but Sehun can’t quite hear. All he sees is the defeated man screaming and rolling on the ground, leaving a trail of blood all around him, gushing out of the hole on his face.

Then the world spins and shakes, and everything disappears. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"What is this place?" Jongin mutters in awe as Sehun tries to recover from the sudden alteration of his surroundings. Teleporting with Jongin is always overwhelming in the most sickening ways.

"It's their spaceship.” Sehun replies weakly. He’s too dizzy to keep himself standing, so his knees buckle and he falls against Jongin’s side as the world keeps swirling around him. Jongin catches him, gently placing him on the cold metal ground. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a little dizzy.”

“Keep still a little.” He says, inducing him to rest his head against the wall. There’s a thick trail string of blood tracing down the side of Jongin’s face, but apart from that, there seems to be no other damage. Jongin’s eyes roam the space, dumbfounded. “You brought us here. I followed your command.” He tells Sehun before worrying at his lip, regretful.

“I told you, didn’t I?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to believe.”

There’s too much to discuss, to come clear between them, but in that moment, where it all feels like their affliction is finally over, all Sehun wants to do is to hug him, kiss him, and tell Jongin that he loves him. 

Footsteps approaching from deep inside the shuttle alarm them to another sudden attack, but the person moves unhurriedly, steady steps carefully nearing them. From within the shadows Sehůn appears, and Sehun finds himself stuck between the urge to punch him across the face or thanking him for giving them the chance to escape. 

“Where’s he?” Sehůn questions before anything else. He looks worried, appalled. 

“I shot him. He’s injured.” Sehun answers, staring up at him blankly, just to let Sehůn know that not even in the slightest he feels guilty. If he could, he would have shot Kāi’s other eye too. “I had to do it.”

“He’s not dead.” Jongin chimes. That seems to ease Sehůn’s distress, and his stiff posture relaxes at once. 

“How about the two of you?” 

“We’ll be fine. We might not have much time, though.” Jongin stands, shuffling towards Sehůn carefully. Sehun can only watch, though for a moment, he wishes to hold Jongin back and tell this fake persona to fuck off. He doesn’t. Instead, he feels his heart tightening and a sour taste coat his mouth. Jongin is looking at Sehůn with some sort of affection, from whatever bond they’ve formed during the time they spent together. 

Sehun averts his eyes then, because if he keeps looking, he might just break.

“I’ll find him. I can buy you some time. I---” Sehůn trails off, showing hesitance to face Kāi. Jongin nods at him encouragingly, and it’s like it was never there before, his reluctance bleeds away. 

“You can do this. I’m sure you can. He’ll listen to you. You can convince him to change his mind and stop this war.” 

Sehun doesn’t miss the way Jongin’s voice rings softly at Sehůn. It doesn’t sit right with him that Jongin managed to put their rivalry and all the bloodshed between them behind them while all Sehun did was drown in his hatred for every single one of them. He swallows down the bitterness that’s clogging up his throat, and remains unobtrusively. 

“I’ll do my best, I promise.” 

Jongin drops a comforting hand on Sehůn’s shoulder. “Thank you. For everything.”

“You too, Jongin.”

Sehun doesn’t bother seeing him off. He lets Jongin do it on his own, because this is the least he can do. If there will be a hug or one last kiss, Sehun doesn’t want to witness it. He pushes himself to his feet once the dizziness fully dissipates. 

All that’s left in him is a numbness. Where should he go now? What was he supposed to do from now on? Did he fail or should he call it an accomplishment of some sort? Would it be appropriate if he teared up and celebrated his freedom or would it be too soon?

When Jongin returns, all of Sehun’s doubts are chased away instantly. There’s a moment of stillness between them as they stare at each other, both trying to catch their breaths even when nothing has ever taken it away but the mere fact that they’re standing next to each other, back together. Jongin crosses the aisle in hushed steps and captures Sehun’s lips in a desperate kiss. 

Sehun staggers back until his back hits the solidness of a wall, he gasps into the kiss, astonished, before responding with the same intensity. And it’s just as he remembered, kissing Jongin. It sweeps his feet right off the floor and brings a hush of euphoria to explode inside him.

“Come back home with me, Sehun. Please.” Jongin whispers against his lips, unable to tear away from him.

They might no longer have a home at this point, but Sehun understands it. They’re each other’s homes, and Sehun will never want to run away from again. 

“I will never leave you again. Never.”

Jongin keens and threads his fingers into Sehun’s locks, deepening the kiss. Their lips fight for dominance, tongues dancing wetly as they moan into each other’s mouth. Sehun’s been submitting for too long, and he wants a change in that, but when Jongin bites on his lower lip and presses him harder against the wall, Sehun surrenders and lets his body go pliant. He lets Jongin pick up his pieces and mend them back together. 

“I’m so sorry, Jongin. I’m so sorry for leaving you, for hurting you.” Sehun breathes out as Jongin trails open-mouthed kisses down the column of his neck, nibbling at the skin. 

“Shut up!” Jongin hisses in his ear, before claiming his mouth once more, sliding his thigh in between Sehun’s, rubbing it against the swell of Sehun’s crotch. As rough as Jongin’s touches can be, it will never amount to the brutality of Kāi’s possessiveness. Jongin gives him everything Kāi never once cared giving him. 

A blaring alarm breaks their haze suddenly, coming from the monitors that sprang into life. Jongin pulls back breathlessly, a wide-eyed gaze staring up at the monitors.

_ ‘Proximity alert.  _

_ Incoming reinforcements approaching Earth within the following 30 seconds’ _

Sehun and Jongin exchange an apprehensive glance as the signal blares louder and louder. They might have found their way to each other again, however, the rest is far from over.

Holding each other’s hands, they watch until the report on the screen announces:

_ Destination reached.  _

_ Lotus ship has landed safely on Earth.  _

Message clear and out, it goes without saying, the war has just begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who arrived on the Lotus Ship


End file.
